Ruthe Nadel Obituary

From a BookCrossing Friend ... In memory of "Bumma"

May her family find peace and comfort!

Dove i Libri

Amy,

I am just finding out about this now, after having been away from computers for more than a week.

My heart goes out to you and your extended family. It was a special priviledge to meet Bumma (and you!) at the convention in Charleston a few years ago. The warmth and love you all shared and radiated was evident, even in so brief a meeting.

May you take comfort in the wonderful memories and legacy she has left you.

Much love,

Shelley (jessibud)

On behalf of the Charleston County Public Library, we join countless others in the celebration of your Mother's life and spirit. Our thoughts are with you.

Dearest Amy and family
Very sorry to hear about your Mom. I know you will miss her terribly.
Now I know where you got it from!
You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Dear family,

Bumma's smile could light up the world - and did for so long. Let us be grateful for that.

The loving, tight-knit family that you are is a beautiful thing to behold. Whenever you wrote about your relationship - your day-to-day life with Bumma - I would smile or laugh at the joy infused in each word. There was no mistaking the love you had for eachother. I consider it a privelege to have met such a vibrant woman and to have been included in such lovely, intimate accountings of your relationship.

With love and a heart that aches for your loss,

Amy (SpedBug)

July 4,2009

Dear Amy,

Your Mom had a most indominable spirit along with an amazing intelligence and wit that will be sorely missed. Ruthe was a woman who gave to the world and the world is richer for it.

We send you and your family our condolences and love.

Mikki and Norm Blackman

Dear Amy,

Maurice and I send our condolences to you and to your family at this time.

As I reflect on my memories of Ruthe,
it is her courage, resilience, and
wisdom that are foremost in my mind.

Our many conversations centering on our
early roots and experiences made us laugh, nostalgic, and philosophical.
I will value the memories.

Miss Ruthe created a beautiful family and they brought much love and happiness to her. Out of everything in her life she was most proud of her kids and the beautiful families that they created along the way.

Having a mother with an adventurous spirit and loving heart is to be blessed. Each family member will carry that spirit in their hearts forever.

Hi Amy,

We just got back from a ten-day trek and learned about Ruthe via internet. Ironically, we had sent her a card and recent photo of us and dogs just a few weeks ago.

She was a unique lady and the world is a lesser place without her.

Best wishes -- will call you soon.

Bob & Diane Archer

Warm thoughts and condolences go out to your whole family. I'm glad I knew you, Ruthe!

Dear Amy and family,

Please know that you and yours are in our thoughts and prayers. I was so sorry to hear of your loss, your mother was amazing woman whose legacy will shine far into the future!

Lise Borel and family

Dear Amy, Jim, Eric and your families

The deepest condolences. She was indeed a remarkable woman who warmed and softened the hearts of everyone with whom she came into contact.

Schmoe and Jula, Adelaide, Australia

My condolences and very best wishes to all the family.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Ruthe. What a great and inspiring life story! I will light a candle in her memory at church this Sunday.

Amy and family, our thoughts and prayers are with you and we feel your loss. Though I only met bumma once in Charleston through Bookcrossing, her activity and bright and wonderful personality shown then and in every way through you. I am glad to have known her however briefly and at a distance. Thank you for sharing her days with us and allowing us to know her better through you. Sandy Brandes aka tempestsans

Though we never met Ruthe, we delighted in hearing many stories about her from Erico and Heather. She became an member of the family of our hearts. Our deepest love goes to Ruthe's children, grandchildren and great-grand (!) and family. You are a lucky lot.

Great Grandma Ruthe was amazing!!! She was an active participant in life who touched everyone she met. I was so lucky to spend weekends with her in her house in Ladue, be able to take her to the zoo and Grant's farm, decorate her Christmas tree and drive the old white car with pointy tail lights and NO power brakes when I was 17 and 100 pounds. I am so lucky that she was able to see me married and with Emma my daughter.

You have her forever in your hearts, and I hope that the knowledge of how many lives she touched (literally all over the world) will be a source of comfort to you. You were fortunate to have her, and we are fortunate that you were willing to share.

What an inspiration Bumma was to so many people--even those she never met. She was a perfect example of how to live life to the fullest and find joy daily.

Amy, I believe that no one is ever really gone as long as people remember them. I hope that you will share more of you stories about Bumma's life in the future.

You are all in my prayers.

Amy, Although I only met your mother on one occassion, I felt I knew her through your stories and her humor. What a wonderful experience to have her close to you the latter years of her life. You can take comfort knowing that you helped her keep her spirit and mind alive and well for so long. I am thinking about you all. She left you all with feelings of victory instead of defeat--what a departing gift!

Dear Amy, Alan, Alex, and all your family,

It was a delight to know the famous Bumma. Her intelligence, her cheerfulness, her impish spirit, and her love for her family were always evident. And her love for books! I enjoyed keeping an eye out for books that I thought she might like, such as an old Spenser. I will miss her very much. Your great loss must be relieved a little by the sentiments you have been receiving from all over the world. My very best wishes to you; you will all remain in my prayers.

Love, Carolyn (kiptrix)

I was lucky enough to have met Bumma while in Charleston for the bookcrossing convention.

She was full of life, and yet larger than life.

Thank you for sharing her, in person and through the internet. She will be missed.

Amy, thank you for sharing Bumma with your fellow bookcrossers. Your stories about her made clear that she was a remarkable person; such a huge heart and spirit in such a tiny body. She was, indeed, very much loved around the world.

I am thankful, that her friends, family and fans can feel a sense of peace that she is now reunited with her beloved Eli.

My heart goes out to you with loving thoughts, sympathy, and many bookcrossing vibes.

~MissTree~ (Bookcrossing)

I feel privileged to have met Bumma in person at the bookcrossing convention in Charleston. What a lovely lady she was, sitting there in her wheelchair surrounded by people waiting to meet her. I don't think the smile left her face that entire evening.

I can't imagine what an empty space she's left in your home, and my heart goes out to you all. I know you have many many lovely memories of her though to help you through these first difficult times without her.

She'll be missed by people all over the world.

Cheryl Jones
New Brunswick, Canada

Amy, Alan, and the rest of your family,

My thoughts and sympathies are with you. I am so sorry for your loss. Bumma was such a treasure and treasured all of you so much that she will never be gone from your hearts. I wish you peace and comfort as you adjust to her being gone from your daily lives.

Much love to you.

I knew she was a special someone from your words. A special someone to the entire world, and now she will be looking after you and your family with her beloved Eli. Again, I send you my warmest hugs, I wish I could be there to give them to you.

Thank you for sharing her story here, not only is it beautiful but it also reminded me of some of the special parts of our childhood when we would visit and explore Bumma's flat next door: we never knew what we would find when we knocked on her door! I was also always inspired by both her love of books and your relationship - a mother daughter friendship to model and be heart warmed by.

Much love and know you are in my thoughts,
Julia Bryan, Prague, Czech Republic

Dear Amy (aka bookczuk),

Please know that the community of BookCrossing will be much emptier due to the loss of your mother's beautiful presence. My heart goes out to you and all of your family during this difficult time and the year ahead. Thank you for the gift of sharing your remarkable mother will all of us.

It was my privilege to finally meet Bumma last year during my fleeting visit to Charleston. I felt that I had known her forever and I feel her loss deeply even though I rejoice that she is at peace and reunited with her beloved Eli. Her spirit lives on in her beautiful daughter Amy, her sons, grandchildren and in the hearts of all who met her, either in real life or through the internet.
Haere atu ra Miss Ruthe. Moe mai i raro i te korowai rangimarie.
Farewell. Sleep the long sleep that is death covered and warmed by the cloak of peace.

I have only been a member of the Ethical Society for less than two years, I was cheered by Ruthe and her great sense of humor, her cheerful attitude. I had the instinctive recognition of a kindred spirit.

We will remember her very fondly here in St. Louis.

I'm very sorry, Amy. Your mom was a remarkable woman and so are you.

Though I have never had the pleasure of meeting Bumma and the Czuks in person, as other Bookcrossers have, I feel from journal entries, forum entries and the like that I know you all.

It is with heavy heart that I say goodbye to Bumma. I know you are a close-knit family and know this will help you stay strong in this most difficult time.

I'm still thinking of you and hope you're able to smile a bit, each day, at a memory. This helps immensely.

Love to all from your Bookcrossing buddie,

Trekwoman/Jen

Amy,
Though I never had the pleasure of meeting your mother, I am sure that your ever-present smile, the words of encouragement you offer, every question that you search out an answer for, the sincere feeling of love that you project to all around you are all reflections of the woman who nurtured you. Oh my, what a lady! What a wonderful life! The world is less for the loss of her, but heaven is now a better place.

Amy,

So sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family.

Nancy Draffin

Amy and family, you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. "Bumma" was one of a kind and will be sorely missed by many. Her courage, spirit and zest for life were and will continue to be an inspiration. My own life is richer for having known her.